Step 4. Cover top with foam and upholstery batting.
Step 6. Cover with regular quilt batting. Step 7. Apply fabric, pull edges tight and secure with staple gun.
Step 9. Using a very long needle, add buttons and secure to the underside with staple gun.
Step 7. Add fabric to cover bottom edge.
Step 8. Add feet.Step 9. Add trim.
Step 10. Enjoy. So what do I not like... The fabric. I wanted to use the velvety red over the whole thing, but I didn't have enough fabric. I thought the cream looked nice when I was picking out fabric from what I already had at home, but once it was on I'm not so crazy about it. Oh well. I'll probably recover it in a couple years anyway. I would say it's not bad for the first piece of furniture I made completely. It measures 36 inches by 36 inches, and it's super sturdy and comfortable.... and since I'm not crazy about the fabric I won't be as irritated when I catch the cat using it as a scratch post.
This morning I posted on my blog about how I like to check the blog feed to see what kind of search terms people are using that happen to pull up my blog. There was one yesterday that was pretty unusual and funny, so I had posted about it this morning. When I posted about it, I had copied and pasted the searched text straight onto my blog post, and didn't realize it had turned into a search link. The words and phrases were innocent enough and I posted it before checking what other search results might have been returned.
Luckily, within a couple hours a friends of mine commented on the search results, and when I check the results, I was pretty disgusted. Those innocent words when lumped together in one search returned some pretty lewd and offensive text.
If you happened across my blog and checked out the search terms, I apologize. I deleted the post as soon as it was brought to my attention, but I noticed several people had already read the post and followed the link. I will certainly be checking a little better before posting search results again...
Okay, so I promised Andy an Ottoman for Christmas this year and then with all the acrylic album kits I never got around to making it for him... I did tell him he probably would not get it on Christmas morning, but in all honesty, I could have made it already... I've just been stalling because it's so dang cold and I don't want to be out there...in the garage... in the cold. Yes, even with the garage space heater turned on.
Tomorrow though, I am going to bite the bullet and get started. I drew out a pretty basic sketch, and I don't have measurements or anything yet, but it's going to be great.
The best part? When we moved into our house, almost every night, I couldn't help but checking the garbage piles at the houses still under construction for usable lumber... I build a work bench, a de-lux cat condo (that the stupid cat doesn't use), A raised platform for Andy's truck bed (Okay he built that) and numerous other things, and still have a hearty supply. So I'm pretty sure I can build the entire thing, and upholster it for about $20.
I'm so excited, I'm giddy.
I'll try to remember to take pics and update my blog as I work.
The other day I asked Aaron to go get dressed. He came out in his swimsuit and asked to go swimming at the neighbors house. I told him there was snow outside so the water would be frozen. He told me, "Well, their mom can just break the ice."
Remember this? Woot! I finished my new coat and I LOVE it.
I had this vintage fabric my grandma had given me. The pattern required 2 5/8 yards, but the piece was only about 1 7/8 yards so I had to do some finagling and alterations to the original design in order to make it work. When I was finished cutting out the pattern I didn't even have a piece left over large enough to save... and I'll save scraps if I think there is any possible way I might be able to use it.
The pattern doesn't line up exactly, but that's seriously the only thing that really bothers me... which is pretty good... cause sometimes when I finish making something I want to put it straight into the Goodwill pile.
The coat is made of a woven fabric and fully lined with white nylon. I even made covered buttons, which is a first for me.
You will also notice I did not take my own pictures this time.... Yes, Aaron, my 4 year old took them for me. No, he's not available to do weddings. Sorry.
I just love the coat... let me know what you thing.
My kids are forever doing embarrassing things, but I don't get to blog about it... Here's how it usually goes.
(I think it will be okay to blog about this if I don't include pictures.) Due to staying up late for the new year, and all the other late nights due to the holidays and family get togethers etc, on January 2nd, Noah was so confused with his sleep schedule that at 1 am I was sitting in the office on the computer, and I hear one of the kids walk by... Then I hear all this noise in the kitchen. It was Noah, getting himself a bowl a cereal and eating it. It took several minutes to convince him it was not anywhere near morning... What finally did it was taking a look outside... at the pitch black outside. Anyway, I got my camera and wanted to take a picture of him eating breakfast with the black windows behind him. He wouldn't let me take it, but I finally got one. He could not go back to sleep until I promised him I would not put the picture on my "web site". He was very concerned about me embarrassing him.
Back to today:
I should really start at the beginning..
Aaron has been fighting a bit of a cold, and so sometime last night he snuck into our bed. Not that a cold has anything to do with him ending up in our bed... most nights he gets cold and sneaks into our room. He figured out long ago that if he wakes us up getting into bed then we will send him back to his room, but if he carefully sneaks into bed and falls asleep we're not going to wake him up to make him go back to his bed. He's so good that I usually do not know he's in our bed till morning.
This morning at about 9am (shameful, I know) He says to me, "Mommy! Get out of the bed!"
So I asked why.
And he says "Cause I just pee'd!"
Fan.tas.tic
Aaron has been potty trained for a very long time, and it's a rare event for him to have an accident, so I wasn't upset at him.
He went to get in the tub, while I was pulling the bedding off to wash. When he got out I was still getting things taken care of, so Jennica was helping him get a towel and then pick out clothes.
I couldn't figure what they were doing in the bedroom so I went to check it out.
Of course, the tie is the most important part of your wardrobe. It should be picked out first. After he finished getting dressed, Jennica wanted to take some pictures of his finished ensemble. They decided on the blue tie to match the blue (a-hem) T-shirt.
I was not in the room when the pictures were being taken. When I downloaded the pics tonight there were these cute animal washcloth puppet show pictures. I had to include them for your viewing enjoyment.
When Andy got home from work the kids were all over at the neighbors playing. We called them home for dinner and as soon as Aaron stepped into the house Andy tells Aaron to go over into the light so he can take his pictures so mom can blog about his outfit. Andy had no idea about the events leading up to the outfit. Aaron was laughing his head off at all the attention, expect for this moment when he decided to scratch his head.
Yeah, he really did spend all day playing at the neighbors house like this. I'm not sure how, that tie is way to small and tight on his neck. The neighbors are use to it. Gotta love the apron. And there isn't a speck of snow outside.
I always thought it sounded so nice and romantic when husbands would surprise their wives with a weekend getaway. You know, where he packs for her, and she has no clue what's going on until it's happening, and she's so surprised, and at easy, and it's all romantic, and relaxing, and lovely, and pleasant...
As it turns out, I am not one of those women who finds it relaxing and pleasant.
So my day, last Thursday, goes as follows:
Get up early, go to Jennica's Class where I am mom helper.
Drive out to Eagle and meet my mom and sister to take my mom out to lunch for her Birthday.
Drive back home and meet my kids as they get home from school.
Meet my sister and her kids at the dollar movie to see Madagascar II.
Then go home, and find something frozen for the kids (and Andy and I) for dinner.
Waste away the next hour or so on Facebook or reading,
Then put the kids to bed and watch a movie with Andy.
Only, my day did not go that way at all.. Well okay for the most part it did but spontaneity happened along the way... Well spontaneous isn't actually the correct word since nothing was spontaneous, but rather craftily planned behind my back. So I guess surprise is what really happened.
Everything was going as expected till Andy shows up at the theater. He comes up behind me and says, "please don't be angry, I got my hair cut and it's too short."
I turn around and his hair is buzzed.
I was feeling a bit livid. He is constantly making comments about how if I can't cut his hair in the next day or so, he'll just go get it buzzed. Which angers me more than you would think. For one, I HATE HATE HATE how he looks with his hair buzzed. Seriously hate it. Secondly, I kind of feel like he should be a bit more appreciative of me for cutting his hair for the past 12 years and maybe act gratefully and thank me sometime instead of constantly making comments about how he hopes I'll make a mistake so he can buzz it...etc. So lets just say I get pretty stinking mad whenever he shows up with his head buzzed. Not just because I don't like how it looks but because I take it as a personal insult to the efforts I put into making his head look good.
And then my sister is saying to us, Okay, goodbye, have fun! And I'm thinking, "I am not going anywhere with this... grrrrr! What is going on? I do not have plans with him, and why is Jill trying so hard to get ride of me? What's going on, I need to feed my kids dinner."
Meanwhile Andy is telling me we are going to P.F. Changs for dinner, and explaining about his hair cut.
Apparently, he went to get his hair cut for this date he had planned (What?? My husband planned a date on his own??) And he wanted to have his hair cut so I wouldn't have to do it this time and the lady at the Walmart salon asked him how to cut it and he said, "Um, I think she uses a number one on the sides and a number two on top? Does that sound about right?" And the Walmart associate says, "Yeah, that'll look great!"
Okay, as a women, I see several problems with this conversation. First, never trust a Walmart associate when they tell you something will look great. Second, I know why, when you ask someone with great hair where they get it done, they never answer, "Walmart!" Third, If you don't know what clipper attachment should be used on your hair, don't guess, but say, "sort of like it is now, but shorter. My wife hates it buzzed."
Anyway, I could forgive Andy because it was clear he really did not intend to cut it so short and just made a very manly mistake.
Then he shows me a blindfold in the car and tells me he wants me to wear it later for a surprise. I told him, flat out, and with no room for negotiation, that I would not be putting on a blindfold. Sorry, but absolutely not. Blindfolds are only fun for the people who are watching the person in the blindfold, and never actually fun for the person in the blindfold... No thanks, not interested.
Since I won't go along with the blindfold, he tells me as we are walking into the restaurant that he has a room at the Anniversary Inn to celebrate our anniversary, and then tomorrow we are going to go shopping, and go to lunch at Ono, that Hawaiian Cafe for lunch, and then shop some more, and then pick up the kids about dinner time from Jill's. The blindfold was so he could blindfold me when we left the restaurant and lead me all the way into the hotel and up the stairs and to the room. I am so glad I said no to the blindfold.
So there are about 100 things running threw my mind at this point.
What's on my calendar that I'm going to need to cancel? Am I suppose to be watching Amanda's kids tonight? What about my kids? Do they have clothes? What are they going to eat for dinner? I didn't pack anything for them. I didn't pack anything for me? So am I going home to change and do my hair and makeup tomorrow morning? What about my car at the movie theater? Did I lock my car at the movie theater? Is my car safe overnight at the movie theater? Can we afford this? Do I look alright? Am I dressed right for P. F. Changs? What about next weekend? The kids are suppose to be going to my moms overnight and we had tickets to the Knock em Dead Dinner Theater... Do we really have tickets or was that just a ploy? Are my kids still going to my moms next weekend. How am I going to have a romantic weekend when I haven't shaved my legs? How did this get planned without me knowing about it? Did MY husband actually plan something without me knowing about it... I bet that means EVERYONE else knows about this, since my husband really isn't very good at keeping secrets. (If Andy has a secret for someone he has to tell everyone else who might cross his path about the secret and bind them to secrecy with him. Seriously if you were at Walmart on Thursday and heard the loud speaker announcement that "Andy wants you to know he's taking his wife on a romantic date and it's a huge surprise so don't tell her," and you're wondering if it was the same Andy, yes, that was my husband. ) Should I feel embarrassed that everyone who knows my husband knows what I'll be doing tonight, And I don't know most of the people who know? Did I leave anything turned on at the house? Are the doors locked? Am I having a very confusing dream? Does my sister have enough room in her car for both our kids? How is my sister going to get into my house to get clothed for my kids? Are my parents in on this? I still need to feed my kids. Did Andy bring my book? Do I need my book? Are we going to be able to get into P. F. Changs? Does the room at the Anniversary Inn have a window, cause I head some of the rooms don't have windows, and I definitely want windows? I don't want to get pregnant. How long has this been planned? Am I still going to Utah on the 30th? I need my calendar. Am I teaching on Sunday? Do I need to worry about teaching on Sunday? What day is it? Oh, It's Thursday. THURSDAY?? What about School for the kids tomorrow?? oh yeah, they don't have school tomorrow. What about work for Andy? Did he forget he has to go to work? He used all his vacation time. Wait it's a new year, so new vacation time. What if he gets laid off for taking vacation time? What if he didn't take vacation time and just doesn't show up for work? Maybe he is going to work? Am I sure I don't have anything going on tonight or tomorrow. I won't know till I get home tomorrow and then it will be too late. Does my make up look alright? My hair is probably a wreck, but it always is anyway so who cares. I'm glad I have my camera. What am I wearing? Okay. I think I look alright. My house is a mess. Wait, did I leave anything on? Wait, I already thought about that. Are there anymore surprises? I better figure that out so I can get everything figured out. How am I suppose to plan this when it's already happening? I need to make reservations. What do I need to shop for? I want an entry table. What's going on? I DON'T KNOW!!!
So if you don't get it watch this video...
So there you go.. After a bit, and after Andy was able to give me satisfactory answer to the majority of my questions and I tried to let go and relax.
The dinner was excellent. We had Honey chicken and Mongolian beef. Oh my word. It was awesome. And gotta love the dessert minis. Oh yum! There are only 4 reasons people turn down dessert at restaurants. 1. Too full/dessert is too big. 2. Watching their weight. 3. Heath/allergy reasons. 4. Desserts are too expensive. Well P.F. Changs has theses fantastic Dessert Minis. They are prepared in a small cup, a little larger than a tall shot glass. And they are just a couple dollars each. Andy had chocolate cake with raspberry filling, and I had tiramasu.
Then we headed to the hotel. Andy had booked the Sleeping beauty room. It was very beautiful.
Yada, Yada, Yada..
The next morning we had a delicious breakfast at the hotel, ripped the furniture section out of the phone book in the room, and headed out. I think the phone book may have been a bit old because most of the places we tried to go to didn't exist anymore. By 1pm we still had not had any luck, so we headed to Ono's for lunch.
The restaurant is fantastic. The service was excellent. The food was delicious, and authentic. I haven't had such wonderful Hawaiian food since I was, well, in Hawaii. I would highly recommend it. Plus if you go on Friday nights you might get to see my friend Kristie there... she's one of the hula dancers. (No, they do not wear coconut bras.)
After lunch we picked up my car from the theater. It was still there, in one piece. We searched some more for an entry table. We had decided to try TJMaxx, which has a large home decor section. Andy was in his car following me, but decided to take a faster route. Problem was he didn't realize that he didn't know where TJMaxx was located... So I'm sitting in my car, and I watched him drive by through the intersection in front of me.. and when he should have turned, he went straight. All I could think, with a sly grin on my face, was "He thought we was going to beat me there... and he's not gonna. ha"
So I get to TJmaxx and have a look at all their furniture. There were some great options. I'm standing around waiting for Andy... and waiting, and waiting... Finally, since we share a cell phone between us and he had it on him, I went to customer service and called him. He was waiting for me at the wrong store. So while I waited for him to come back I shopped for plates. I want to get a variety of white plates to hang in my kitchen above my cabinets. I haven't gotten them hung yet, because I am considering whether to paint the wall behind them. Here's the plates I picked out. I still need more, but this well be a nice start.
When Andy Arrived I showed him the tables. He wasn't as in love with my favorite as I was, but he says, "Well, I am going to end up getting you whatever you want anyway so lets go." (He didn't say it in an, "I'm frustrated with you women, just pick something!" But in an "I love you so much it doesn't really bother me if I don't like the table as much as you, It's much more important that I see you happy.") I completely took advantage of the opportunity and we bought the table. I love it. I still need to hang the matching mirror, and put some things on top of it. And to be fair, Andy doesn't hate it... He just wasn't sure the style would work with our other things. He'll grow to love it... I'm sure of it.
After we left the store we stopped at home to unload the table and drop off my car and then went and picked up our kids. They had a very fun time at aunt Jill's and really didn't want to leave.
It was a fantastic couple days.
I just want to make sure this in writing somewhere...
Honey, I love you. Thank you for a wonderful surprise. Please don't ever surprise me again, but please do plan for getaways and dates on your own. You're good at it. Just tell me, "Dear, I am planning something special for the following dates. Please make sure you keep your calendar empty. "
And also, you have officially raised the bar for yourself. I will no longer be satisfied with a rose and card from Albertson's on your way home from work on our Anniversary.
Tonight I was driving carpool for Jennica's dance class. It was just Jennica and her friend in the car. I wasn't paying attention to their conversation, but, well... here's how it went.
Jennica: Mom, When is your birthday?
Me: Au--
Jennica: I mean when is it suppose to be?
Me: ...ummm August 28th.
Jennica (to her friend): My moms birthday is suppose to be August 28th, but she doesn't have birthdays anymore.
Friend: She doesn't have birthdays?
Jennica: No, we just buy her presents and have cake and ice cream, but that's it.
So apparently I can stop counting years. I need to ask Jennica exactly when I stopped having birthdays, because if it was in the last 3 years I will be a very happy 20 something again.
Today I thought I would blog about the projects I've been messing with the last couple days. These are all new craft ideas and new techniques, so there isn't anything real impressive, but I'm sharing anyway.
Sorry about the quality of the pictures. It has been overcast and foggy so the lighting has not been ideal for pictures.
First up, I was joking around with my friend, Emi, on Facebook the other day. Trying to guess what the acronym FBTFin her profile update was suppose to stand for.
Here's what she had written:
Emi is jonesing for some FBTF.
SoI'm thinking, "that's got to be Fancy Button Time Fun..." I mean, really, what else makes sense?? Well, I was wrong, but I decided to have a little fancy button time fun myself... cause we all need a little bit of that. My friend, Wendy, makes the most amazing Button Bouquets. I tried my hand at them... Not anywhere as good as Wendy's, but I think it's cute.
BTW, FBTF actually stood for Fruit by the Foot. Hey, did you know you can design your own custom fruit by the foot pattern and special order it? I know what to get Emi for her birthday...
Okay, next project...
I wanted some pictures for my sewing area. I saw some at Joann's that I liked, but they were $14.00... seriously folks, I HATE to pay money for decorative items. I just hate it. So there was no way I was paying $14.00! Are they crazy?? I have to admit, the one at Joann's was better than this first one I made. But I had fun, and mine were FREE. (You need to go back and read that last sentence and sing the word "free".)
I wish I could take credit for the drawing on this next one, but honestly, I just traced the pattern. This is the coat I want to make that I was talking about a few posts back. I'm thinking I'm going to use the black and white woven fabric. I didn't even consider this fabric at first, but then my sis in law, who always stays on top of the latest trends, was wearing a gorgeous coat made from this same fabric and I had a "ding, ding, ding" moment.
Now I suppose I need to get around to actually making the jacket.... :)
This Saturday is Andy and my 12th wedding anniversary.
Wow. IT just struck me how long 12 years is. That's how long it takes to get from first grade to high school graduation. Wow time flies. It seems like it wasn't all that long ago that I graduated from high school. (probably due the amount of time I've been spending on facebook chatting with all my old friends, but I digress...) Twelve years! It didn't seem like that long.
I guess you could say twelve years ago when we got married it was like we were little kindergartners... and that would be a pretty accurate comparison to were our level of love, commitment, and dedication was. We were so naive. I remember a couple months into our marriage driving home from work and being so mad because I just knew Andy was probably at home making dinner, what nerve! I'm not even sure I can figure out why I was so irritated that he would be cooking for me, but now I look back and just have to laugh! Shoot! Maybe if I had been a bit more appreciative he'd still be doing the cooking? (Actually, he still does quite a bit of cooking, because he's just a good man.) and I suppose now, at 12 years, it's like we're finally ready to graduate from learning how to be married. That's scary, because I remember graduating from high school and thinking I had it all figured out... life that is. So I suppose I'm kidding myself if I think I have marriage all figured out now. I am just excited. Over the past twelve years I have come to really feel so grateful for my husband. He is amazing, and a perfect match for me. I could not have married a better man.
My friend, Kristi, tagged me a few days ago. I thought I would wait till now to post, in recognition of 12 years.
1. Where did you meet your husband? At a wedding. I had just moved to Texas 4 days before hand. I had just moved in with my sister, who was a newlywed and expecting her first baby. My sister's, sister in law, was kind enough to help me meet people since I didn't know anyone except her, my new brother in law, and my sister. We were going to a party after the wedding. Andy says he knew, as soon as he met me.
2. How long did you date before you got married? for the first six months we knew each other I was still bound and determined that I was not getting married, but waiting for a missionary. I could tell he was serious about me, so I dated as many other people as I could trying not to get too involved with him. t didn't work for very long. Andy was just so much fun to be with, and I felt good when I was with him. He also made me feel like the most beautiful, and important, person in his life.
3. How long have you been married? 11 years, 11 months, and 29 days...
4. What does he do that surprises you? He still thinks I'm hot. Let me tell you... I've seen me naked, and so that's pretty surprising!
5. What is your favorite feature of his? Andy has kind blue eyes, and great thick hair. He has an amazing voice and can really sing.
6. What is his best quality? He is so willing to serve others. All the time. It doesn't matter who, what when or where, if someone asks him for help he's there. Once he even left home about 11 pm and drove about 9 hours round trip to help a family we go to church with who had broken down... and still got up and went to work the next day. I don't even know how many people he has helped to move, or shoveled the snow off their walks. I could go on and on...
7. Does he have a nickname for you? Hey stupid head. Just kidding. We don' really have nicknames for each other.
8. What is his favorite food? Hmmmmm.... there is a lot to choose from. He loves fish.. but it has to be big fish with easy to find bones. He likes trout too, but doesn't like searching his food for hidden daggers of pain before he eats. He also really likes fettuccineAlfredo, taco's, tater tot casserole, mashed potato/baked bean/hot dog casserole.. Does not like onions, spinach, or asparagus...
9. What is his favorite sport? hands down.. basketball.
10. When and where did you first kiss? He likes to tell people it was at the Mustangs of Los Colinas.. in fact he even took me back there and proposed to me there, sighting it as the place we first kissed, but in reality it was outside this guy named Patrick M.'s apartment. Patrick hated Andy after that and they never spoke again... Not due to Andy, Patrick liked me and thought Andy wrecked his chances or something... Patrick was a bit of a looser...
11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? What we do most often is watch movies together, but we also love playing cards, and love getting together with other couples.
12. Do you have any children? Four... Noah- 9 , Jennica-6, Aaron- 4, Vincent- stillborn, would be 5 months
13. Does he have any hidden talents? He can instill great self worth in others. I would be nothing without him because I never would have thought I was good enough to ever try my hand at anything. Andy makes me who I am by making me feel like I can do anything, accomplish anything, be anything. More than that, he expects I'll be great,and he expects anything I do will end up magnificent. You have no idea how much power and influence that has unless someone has ever felt that way about you. He makes me feel like there is no one more talented than I am in the entire world. I know better... but I'm not sure he does.
14. How old is he? Going on 35.
15. Who said I love you first? I honestly don't remember. He will probably say he was.
16. What is his favorite music? He use to like the cure, but now I'm not so sure. We both like Peter Brienholt's music, and Evanescence, country, I'm pretty sure he likes most of the music on my blog because he set up the house sound system so I could plug my computer into it and broadcast all over the house. (but that might just be because he loves me and knows I like the music so he tolerates it for me.. and sings along. Wouldn't surprise me if that was the case..)
17. What do you admire most about him? His love of the savior, desire to do what is right, and how hard he works to provide for his family so I can stay home with our children.
18. What is his favorite color? orange, green, yellow.... anything LOUD. The last couple t-shirts he bought were bright shades of orange. He could go direct traffic, and no one would know he wasn't suppose to be there.
19. Will he read this? Yeah. Eventually. I don't think he has time to read my blog every day.
20. I tag Ali, Shawna, Emi and Amanda... (If you don't have a blog (Ali) then you can post in on your facebook. :) Happy anniversary honey!
Step 2. Built frame.
Step 9. Add trim.
Step 10. Enjoy.
